Notes on the Brew-vitational winners

Of the 59 beers from 33 breweries on The Inquirer's tasting table, judges crowned three champs in two categories: the "new" beers of 2015, and "wheat" beers in various styles.

1. Chocolate Porter, Chocolate Porter (6.5%), River Horse Brewing Co.

In a close decision among the top three, this chocolate porter won over an enthusiastic camp of judges who said this unorthodox effort was "a winner" for a vivid chocolate flavor that was "not too rich," with a slight roasty bitterness that made one imagine "a S'more beer by a campfire" and inspired another to ply panel-mates (convincingly) with gelato-and-porter floats.

2. Guillemot - Guilly Vanilly, Dark Dessert Saison (8.5%), Tired Hands Brewing Co.

Brewer Jean Broillet IV says he often struggles to define his iconoclastic beers - and the ID of this dark and sour Baltic porter as a "dessert saison" threw enough judges off, perhaps, to prevent it from claiming the top spot. A finish over chocolate and vanilla beans does add subtle sweet backnotes, but the wine barrel-aged, bretty sourness is what made it a favorite of mine and others, who suggested its complex profile was more typical of Flemish sour than saison. The cherrylike tartness, though, eventually won over initially hesitant judges.

3. Cyrano Fruit Saison, Saison brewed with cherry and mango (3.7%), Round Guys Brewing Co.

The unusual addition of actual cherries and mango to this canned Belgian-style saison gave many judges pause. But the finely tuned balance of flavors in the cup swayed the crowd, who noted its fruit flavors as "delicate and beautiful," unexpected combination simply well-done. As one of three Brewvi awards for Round Guys in two years, this Lansdale brewery is on the rise.

1. The Berliner, Berliner Style Weisse (3.7%), Round Guys Brewing Co.

Judges were shocked when this winner was revealed because Round Guys' first effort at this canned German-style sour a few years ago was memorably flawed.

But major production changes (including pasteurization) resulted in a rare near-unanimous first-place vote, with raves for the "clean" and "grapey" tang of its hazy gold brew that still bore yeasty wheat notes. The low-alcohol freshness reminded many of a lemon shandy, and Hughes, the panel's brewer, said he was "blown away" by the "180-degree" transformation of this once imperfect brew into a champ.

2. Hefe, South German-style Hefeweizen (5.2%), Stoudts Brewing Co.

It's no surprise this pioneer of Pennsylvania craft brewing made a winning impression with a South German recipe for hefeweizen it has been brewing for nearly 30 years. Based on judges notes describing it as "pleasantly fruity banana bread with grainy wheat," with "light clove" and a "soft finish" this classic brew is as fresh as ever. "It has such a nice body," wrote Rick Nichols, "I'd like to hold it against me."

3. I Love Lamp, Hefeweizen (5.5%), Evil Genius Beer Co.

Yeasty hefeweizens naturally develop exotic fruit flavors, but West Grove-based Evil Genius literally infuses this effort (the name is a reference to the movie Anchorman) with actual pineapple.

"Well-carbonated" and "creamy" with a "subtle herbal spice," said one judge, while another said, "It's not sweet [as others], yet it has [oomph]." The vivid fruit flavor took some getting used to for one judge, but he conceded by the finals round: "It tastes better the second time around."